


Days Go By

by Ebyru



Category: Arashi (Band), Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe, Crack, Humor, M/M, Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-02-22
Updated: 2012-02-22
Packaged: 2017-10-31 14:45:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/345285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ebyru/pseuds/Ebyru
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nino is a foreigner who needs to find an internship, and finds more than he bargains for at a law firm (where Castiel works).</p>
            </blockquote>





	Days Go By

**Author's Note:**

> Whether you know one or the other fandom doesn't matter because it's AU and I describe everyone.
> 
> Beta'd by g_esquared, inferi26 and defiancebyfire @ livejournal.

** Twenty-one and a half ** ** : A new beginning. **

Ninomiya Kazunari enters his new university in California for the first time, hoping he will entertain and charm the pants off his fellow students like he had in school in Japan.  No such thing happens—at least not for the first few weeks.

He’s a short guy with dark hair and eyes and slightly above average intelligence; he doesn’t stand out so much, save for his accent. (Most people couldn’t tell one Asian from another anyhow.)Nino wouldn’t describe himself that way, at least not out loud, but that is probably how most people see him.

After a while, he becomes comfortable with his anonymity and starts to show his true self, his colours (of madness). He raises issues in class that no one thinks of, makes people see things in a different light, and it’s refreshing for the students as well as the faculty.  Though no one noticed him at first because of his stature and demeanour, it was hard to look at him in the same way now that his thoughts were wild and free.

Suddenly, people talk to him, acknowledge him, and there’s one in particular who wants to be around him all the time.

His name is Sakurai Sho, and he’s a brilliant speaker.  He’s a bit taller than Nino, his eyes bigger, but with the same ebony depth to them. He has light brown hair that makes him look like some famous actor. He wanted to be a politician when he was young, but he decided being a journalist was more suited for him. Nino fully agrees; Sho is too pure and honest to be a politician. That is, until he sees pictures of his younger days.

Sho had long, _light_ hair, a pierced belly button, and wore only baggy pants and baseball shirts.  Sho told Nino he often ended up in fights. Mostly because people saw him and thought he was a delinquent from his appearance. He eventually became sick of letting them win, and started to fight back, coming home with new bruises on a weekly basis. As he grew up, the people around him realized he was a smart kid and stopped trying to make him into one of them. He stayed alone for a while after that, until he met Nino.

The rest was history.

The next days, weeks, months—years even—pass by in a flash thanks to his newfound partner in crime. When he doesn’t feel like speaking up in class, Sho covers for him. When he is unmotivated to do research or homework, Sho distracts him just long enough to make it all seem bearable afterwards. Nino doesn’t feel like an outcast anymore, and at last Sho has a friend who knows the _real_ him.

** Twenty five: Time goes on. **

Nino graduates in general psychology, and Sho completes a double major in business and journalism. They discuss what to do with this in the future, and when it becomes clear they aren’t ready to split up yet, they both sign up for two more years in order to gain a master’s degree.

The first year is spent mostly at school. Sho is often hiding out in the library, and Nino is, unfortunately, usually at his side doing much of the same reading and struggling. The only thing different about their research is their thesis topics.

The next year is when things start to change.

Sho is away from school, trying to find an internship through the local newspaper. When he does have a moment to drop by and see how Nino is doing, he looks like hell, and Nino instantly feels guilty for making his friend use up the last of his energy. Nino, on the other hand, is already set with a specific office, and he just has to wait for them to give him a patient. Sho says he’s jealous all the time, but in the end, he’s the one who obtains his master’s first when Nino’s internship falls through.

He puts his studies on hold in order to work and pay off some of his growing education debt.

** Twenty seven: When it slows down. **

Nino doesn’t have to restart his entire master’s, only the part involving his unfinished internship. Sho, by this time, is already working independently, writing for multiple local newspapers as a source of _Intel_ for economic and political news. They speak on the phone, but Nino wants to concentrate on finding a more reliable job, so they see each other less often.

One day, while looking through a newspaper, Nino comes across a law firm in need of a psychologist. The firm is well-established, and, because of that, is receiving an increasing amount of serious and difficult cases. This, in turn, leads the staff to be less capable of dealing with the effort required for them. Not to mention the pressure to maintain their success rate. Needless to say, a few of the best have already begun to crack.

That’s where Nino comes in. His job is to help them control their anxiety attacks, their depression, and any other mental ‘injury’ they may have sustained in the past year.

The person he speaks to on the phone is, unsurprisingly, not Japanese. There weren’t very many Japanese people around, but Nino always hoped he might meet a few to feel a sense of belonging. He still isn’t used to being in a new city with nationalities he’s never heard of.

It helps that Nino likes the way he speaks; clear and concise, almost overly so, like he can tell Nino is new to this meshing thing. They (mentally) shake hands, and the man finally says his name; Castiel Novak. Even to Nino who isn’t familiar with foreign names, he can tell that one sounds _even more_ foreign than usual.

The conversation ends, and Nino hangs up with a smile already tugging at his lips. He finally—finally—has somewhere to put his education to the test, and it feels glorious. He calls Sho immediately and tells him the good news.

~~~~~~~~

Nino can’t help that he’s nervous the first day. Plus, it’s a Monday, and Mondays have a tendency to bring around bad luck (and generally suck).

He’s had trouble these past years making friends with anyone who isn’t from Japan; he feels lacking when it comes to his spoken English, and he has _no_ experience working anywhere outside of his own country. There were a lot of things to get used to at once, how did Sho make it seem so easy?

The sweater he picked out is making him feel stuffy and boring compared to the lawyers in their fancy pinstripe suits and heels. His palms are sweaty from holding them flat against the leather of the seat he’s been in for so long, so he wipes them on his grey dress pants in case the supervisor shows up soon.

“Kazunari Ninomiya?” Nino looks up quickly from his _oh-so important_ task. The man, who he assumes is the one he spoke to on the phone, is standing with a folder in his hand, a small smile hanging from his lips.

“Yes,” Nino stands, bowing. He immediately regrets proving just how Japanese he is.

The man laughs, offering his hand instead of commenting. “I’ll be supervising your sessions. I’m Castiel Novak, ” his hand lies in wait.

Nino watches it, trying to unravel his nerves long enough to grab hold. It doesn’t help that Castiel’s eyes are blue unlike anything he’s seen before, and he wonders how foreigners have so many eye colours available to them.

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Novak,” Nino finally shakes Castiel’s hand. It’s a lot less firm than he wanted it to be; it feels like he’s disappointed his boss already. But he trudges on, “Please, call me Nino.”

“Then call me Castiel,” Castiel’s smile softens, pulling his hand away to sift through the folder in his grasp. “I won’t make you remember too many names today, but there is one I think you might have no problem with.” Castiel pulls out a single sheet, handing it to Nino.

“Ohno Satoshi?” Nino looks up from the unmistakably Japanese name. “He’s one of your lawyers?”

“Well he isn’t _my_ lawyer, but he works for the firm, yes,” Castiel smirks, carding a hand through his dark, messy locks.

Nino doesn’t understand the joke, but figures he should store it away for future reference. “You want me to treat him?” He can’t be eloquent while he tries not to admire the sharpness of his boss’ jaw, the pink tint of his lips, his overall mysterious appeal. Nino’s only human. And Castiel seems like he has some secrets up his Armani sleeve.

“That would be ideal,” Castiel closes the folder. “But he’s not working today. So I’ll just show you around, and then you can come back tomorrow refreshed. How does that sound?”

“Good,” Nino answers honestly. He thought he’d be dropped in this new situation, treating someone he couldn’t relate to, having communication problems for weeks on end. This was much better than he expected. “That sounds really good.”

“Great.” Castiel points to the sheet. “You can look that over when you get home later. But for now,” he slips the beige folder under his arm, “how ‘bout I show you to the cafeteria and we have some coffee?”

Nino decides he likes his boss even more in person.

~~~~~~~~

The next day, Nino comes in looking more relaxed with a Ralph Lauren polo and navy blue slacks on. His supervisor is crossing the corridor he’s coming down, and he doesn’t miss the way Castiel tilts back for a double take. Nino can’t deny that he likes the attention, either.

Castiel does a U-turn and heads in Nino’s direction after he smiles at him, “Good morning, Nino. Feeling excited about your first _real_ day?” He pats him on the shoulder warmly. Nino hadn’t noticed yesterday, but his gaze actually has to travel up quite a bit to catch his eye. Damn foreigners and their amazing height.

“I am,” his smile turns playful. “I hope I can change someone’s life for the better.”

“That’s the spirit!” Castiel hands Nino an entire folder.” This is for you to take notes on Ohno’s mental state, and of course the progress.  I’ll be checking in at the end of the week. Good luck!” He goes back down the hall the way he came, and points to a room before he disappears out of sight.

 _Conference room 105_ is written on the door of the private room. The wall parallel to the corridor is covered in spotless, glass windows, which worries Nino until he notices the manual blinds just above. He’s setting himself up on one end of a rectangular, wooden table when a small, blond Asian man walks in. Nino assumes it must be Ohno.

“Mr. Ohno?” Nino stands, bowing politely. “I’m Ninomiya Kazunari, I’ll be working with you for the next few weeks.”

“Satoshi. And we’re not in Japan,” Ohno says flatly. “Can I sit anywhere?” He goes to the extreme opposite end of the table—which stretches across the room—and sits down, not waiting for a reply.

Nino clears his throat and sits down, too. “Anywhere is fine, yes,” He pulls his glasses out of his pocket. “How are you feeling today?”

“Fantastic,” Ohno mutters. “Kazunari was it? I—”

“No. Nino is preferable.” Only his family can call him by his first name. Nino doesn’t understand why this man from his natal country would even fathom otherwise on a first meeting. Was he really Japanese?

“Nino, whatever, look,” Ohno leans forward on the table. “I am not participating in this little ‘training’ because I want to. I was told to either seek help or find a new career. So don’t expect me to be happy about this.”

“I understand,” Nino pushes his glasses to the top of his head. Really he did, but that was no reason to be rude and unfriendly to a stranger. “We’ll just talk this time instead, okay? I won’t write anything down.”

Ohno looks away, then back at Nino slowly. It gives Nino enough time to get a good look at who he’s dealing with. The guy is definitely his height or shorter, but he carries it well. He’s not narrow, or as hunched over as Nino usually is. His hair is a mess, much like Castiel’s, but blond instead of the natural black. His cheeks are full, and his face is round, which masks his age well. His eyes are dark and emotional, his lips pink and puckered as though he’s permanently pouting. He has an interesting look, Nino will give him that. He’d be considered a gangster in Japan though.

When Ohno sighs and sits back in his chair, Nino takes it as silent agreement.

“So,” Nino waits for Ohno to fill the silence. He puts the folder down and crosses his legs.

“I’m a lawyer,” Ohno offers, almost as a revelation. “Where do you study?”

Nino isn’t supposed to give away details of his personal life, but he can tell that Ohno won’t open up otherwise. “UCLA,” he answers quickly.

“Oh? How much longer do you have?” Ohno blinks, interest beginning to show through his words.

Nino shifts in his seat; he’s never liked being the one interrogated, even when it was part of role-playing back at school. “If this goes well, three months and I have my master’s.”

“Master’s? Wow,” Ohno seems genuinely impressed. “I thought you were going for a bachelor’s degree right now. You seem young.”

“Likewise,” Nino replies without thinking. “Care to share a bit more about you?”

Ohno visibly tenses up, the earlier comfort dissipating with each second. Nino stands up and sits on the same end as Ohno to put them on equal ground. “No pressure, really. Just whatever you want to say is fine.”

Nino is just about convinced Ohno won’t be saying anything in this millennium when he finally speaks up, “I was born here. I’m thirty, and I don’t speak Japanese.” Ohno crosses his arms and picks at a piece of lint on his suit jacket.

So much for them bonding over their ‘motherland’.  Nino pushes the thought aside; he didn’t decide to study abroad to only mingle with Japanese people. This would be a good learning experience, something he could write home about. And besides, his job was about helping people in general, not just one nationality.

“That’s interesting,” Nino smiles a bit. It might not be anything new for someone who lives in the States, but people like that don’t really exist in Japan. Even foreigners picked up _some_ Japanese when they were staying in Japan as tourists. “I was born in Tokyo, I’m twenty-seven and I’m still trying to perfect my English.”

Ohno looks up at that, tilts his head and says, “Sounds fine to me.” He uncrosses his arms, “I mean, yeah, you have an accent, but who doesn’t?”

He had a point there. Nino nods, contemplating that notion. He’ll have to save that for later use, too.

Nino wants to try digging into the real interesting stuff—the reason why he needs to see a therapist at his workplace, for one. He could definitely imagine what kind of trauma and stress lawyers went through, but everyone dealt with it differently. “Can you tell me why you were told to seek counselling?”

Ohno squints, straightens up, and grunts in annoyance. “I don’t know,” he says flatly. “They said something about me being cold…said I was scaring clients away.”

It sounded like withdrawal, or maybe a fear of rejection. “Do you agree? What do you think?” Nino leans in to make it feel more intimate, less like him asking because it’s his job.

“I think it’s bull,” Ohno utters, “I’ve just been worried. That’s all.”

“Is it keeping you up at night? Making you lose focus at work?  Affecting your moods?” Nino knew the answer to the last question.

“My moods a bit, but mostly I’ve been having these out-of-the-blue asthma fits,” Ohno grabs the fabric of his pants, his knuckles turning white. His chest is starting to heave, and it worries Nino.

“Sounds to me like panic or anxiety,” Nino says calmly, trying to keep them both relaxed. “I wouldn’t be surprised with your line of work.”

“What do you know?” Ohno shouts suddenly. He lets go of his pants, pushing his chair out and leaving the room without saying another word.

This is going to take more time and patience than Nino thought.

~~~~~~~~

For the next few days, Nino tries to come up with some way to make Ohno feel less cornered, but he can’t think of anything when Tuesday comes around.  Luckily, his boss pulls him aside just before the appointment with Ohno and gives him some pointers.

“He’s shy, for one,” Castiel declares, his hand on Nino’s shoulder. Nino doesn’t know when it moved there, but he’s still not settled in enough to ask him to remove it. “And he’s very sensitive.”

“So I should just talk about unrelated things for a while?” Nino looks over at his boss’ hand, hoping Castiel will get the hint, but he doesn’t. Nino sighs; he’s not comfortable being touched.

“Don’t worry, Nino,” his hand squeezes Nino’s shoulder. “You seem very in tune with others’ emotions and body language.” _Unlike you_ is what Nino wants to answer. “I’m sure you’ll make him open up.”

“Thank you,” Nino bows his head. “I’ll be going now.”

Castiel nods and pats him on the shoulder. “Good luck.”

Nino is grumbling under his breath as he rounds the corner, not even seeing Ohno before he walks right into him, spilling the coffee Ohno had been holding. _Two_ cups, he notices with surprise.

“I’m so sorry, Satoshi,” Nino pulls a handkerchief from his pocket and hands it to the older man. “I was thinking about something.”

“No worries,” Ohno takes the cloth and wipes his jacket quickly. It’s a good thing it’s black. “Well, the one that spilt was meant to be yours, but,” he checks the other cup to make sure it’s still intact. “Have mine.”

Nino smiles, taking it quickly. “Thank you, Satoshi. Really.”

Ohno shrugs one shoulder, “I wanted to apologize for last time,” he dabs at a coffee stain on Nino’s wool sweater. “I think I got you, too.”

“It’s okay,” Nino gestures for the door. “Shall we go in now?”

This time everything goes much more smoothly, aside from the minor coffee incident. Ohno is talking more, sharing anecdotes about work, not making Nino fish for answers. And, surprisingly, Nino finds he enjoys their meeting. He likes the way Ohno thinks, even if it is completely different from his own. Suddenly, Nino can’t wait for their next appointment.

~~~~~~~~

Nino is late this time, because Castiel insists on brewing him specialty coffee from his own personal stash. They discuss the progress, and from the way his supervisor is smiling, he seems impressed with Nino’s work. Nino glances at his watch, rubbing at the nape of his neck when he realizes he’s fifteen minutes late.

“I really have to go,” Nino mutters, hesitantly. It’s not polite in Japan to leave before your boss. “I’m late for my appointment with Satoshi.”

“Oh,” Castiel turns his wrist. “Oh my! I’m sorry,” he reaches for Nino’s shoulder, and Nino has to _actively_ try not to flinch away. Nino’s still not used to so much physical contact. “We’ll talk when you’re done, okay?”

Nino nods and leaves with a small ‘bye’.

It seems every time he is about to see Ohno, he’s deep in thought because of Castiel. This time is no different.

“Nino,” Ohno calls softly, holding the door open.

Nino doesn’t hear anything as he walks down the hall, picking at a thread on his shirt. He curls his palm to sniff his breath; it smells like hippy coffee. That’s no good for a therapist from UCLA.

Ohno tries again, in a sing-song manner instead. Still no response, and Nino is wiping his shoulder where Castiel touched him, wondering if Ohno will smell the cologne on him and think they were having a ‘thing’. He grumbles, picking up the pace as he strides down the hall.

At this point, Ohno is laughing, leaning against the door. “Nino!” he says more firmly.

Nino looks up finally, sees Ohno watching him curiously, his lips curled playfully into a grin. “Satoshi, sorry,” he rushes over. “I was thinking about something.”

“Many things it seems,” Ohno moves out of the way so Nino can enter the room. “I’m ready if you are.”

~~~~~~~~

After half an hour, Ohno is leaning in close, sincerity in his eyes. “Do you like this? Do you think you’ll be able to do this for a long time?”

Nino hums, thinking about the question. He does enjoy client interaction, and Ohno’s a nice guy, but that doesn’t mean his other patients will be. Nino scratches his chin. “So far, I do. Why?”

Ohno moves back, seeming to realize how close he was to Nino, his therapist. “I don’t know if I can continue being a lawyer,” he admits honestly. “Maybe I’m not cut-throat enough for this.”

This is good. It’s real progress, and Nino doesn’t want to mess this up and make Ohno retreat into his shell.

“I don’t think that’s a trait all lawyers have,” Nino answers. “I think as long as you like arguing, you’ll do just fine.” Nino smiles teasingly.

Ohno chuckles, but looks away, nervous. Nino can see he’s hiding something, but it’s only been three meetings, he can’t expect miracles.

“I guess so,” Ohno crosses his fingers. Nino can’t help but notice how long and elegant they are, especially compared to his own child-like ones.

“How’s work lately?” Nino pulls out a pen casually.

Ohno shifts in his seat, his hands squeezing together. “Okay,” he looks away. “I mean, I’ve been trying to cope with this—this breathing thing, but I’m scared I’ll have a fit in front of a client.”

It is definitely anxiety due to his previous case; whatever happened, it’s making him afraid every time he has to deal with someone new.

“Have you tried breathing exercises, or maybe yoga? I heard about the relaxation room Castiel recently created.” Nino watches Ohno quietly. Ohno seems to be pondering the idea.

“Would you—would you come with me?” Ohno says, almost too low for Nino to hear. “I mean, I’m sure you’re stressed because of school, too. So it would be good for both of us.”

Nino tilts his head, eyeing Ohno. This probably wasn’t a good idea, but he says it anyway.

“Okay. I’ll make a deal with you,” Nino leans in conspiratorially. “I’ll go with you, if you tell me what’s made you suddenly so nervous with your clients.”

Ohno squints, his mouth opening in protest, then shutting in defeat. He sighs. “Fine. I will.”

They had a deal.

~~~~~~~~

And there Castiel is, again, always and forever, making Nino late for appointments with Ohno. It’s starting to really irritate him; it makes it seem like Nino’s not being professional. Maybe he has a thing for Nino, or maybe he’s just interested in his new staff members. But if Nino has to adapt to the touching and personal space issues, Castiel should compromise a little, too.

“What can I do for you, boss?” Nino says teasingly. If nothing else, Nino’d become more comfortable when speaking.

“Heard you’re going to the relaxation room with Satoshi,” Castiel smiles warmly. “May I join? I haven’t had a chance to check it out since they finished up the remodelling.”

Well, this was unexpected. But how could you say no to your supervisor? Would that be reason enough to fail your internship?

“Sure,” Nino steps back subtly. “I’ll just go to his office and let him—”

“No need,” Castiel claps Nino on the shoulder (not for the first time), “I already told him I was going.”

Fantastic.

Nino is already memorizing their conversation for when he’ll complain about it to Sho after work.

“Great,” Nino forces a smile. “I’ll just,” _shoot myself now_ , “get my change of clothes.”

“See you there,” Castiel calls after him when Nino rushes down the hall.

This is going to be bad.

~~~~~~~~

Ohno is already in grey jogging pants and a loose t-shirt when Nino enters the room; he looks charming like this, somehow. Nino waves and walks over to him, glancing around the room at the same time. There’s a couple of blue mats on the floor for people to do yoga or stretching, there are wall-to-wall windows on one side of the room, and there’s a radio playing sounds of the jungle or rainforest—not that Nino really cares, either way.

This is not what he’d been expecting.

Castiel walks through a door in the corner of the room with a large, red ball under his arm. Nino tries not to watch him, knowing it will only promote further harassment in the halls, but he can’t help it. He looks so different, so nimble and lean in his exercise clothes. The shirt is clinging to his arms, showing off toned biceps, and his jogging pants do little to hide the curves below.

Sho is definitely going to know about this tonight.

Nino coughs and turns away, opting to look at innocent Ohno instead. That, after all, is why he’s here in the first place.

“So,” Nino refuses to make eye contact with Castiel, “what kind of relaxation did you want to do?”

Ohno glances around the room, pointing at the blue mats. “How ‘bout just some breathing? That music might put me to sleep though.”

Nino chuckles, “I think so, too,” he pats Ohno on the shoulder. “But that might do you some good.”

When they get to the mats, Nino instantly regrets it. Castiel is practically dangling his _junk_ in Nino’s eyes while he does slow crunches on the balance ball. Nino wants to cut out his eyes and throw them to the birds—not because Castiel is hard on the eyes or anything, quite the opposite—but because he’s his boss, and this is way too much for him to consider just a friendly boss-subordinate relationship.

Ohno must have noticed Nino’s tense shoulders, or perhaps his discomfort, so he attempts a conversation.

“Not many people in here,” Ohno says quietly. Nino can hear Castiel counting under his breath in the background.

“Are you disappointed?” Nino closes his eyes to avoid seeing that bulge any longer.

“No. Actually,” Ohno rolls onto his side, “I think it’s better this way.”

Nino feels the warm breath against his cheek, and the combination of that and the sight from earlier is making things very hard in his nether regions. He needs to think of something else. Right. _Now_.

Sitting up promptly, Nino crosses his legs to stop the blood from flowing so easily, turning to look at Ohno. He’s fast asleep, one arm propped under his head, with a relaxed expression. He looks peaceful, content, and that makes Nino feel like he’s moved another big step forward.

Castiel is still counting behind him, but further away. Finally, Nino can try to relax a bit, too.

~~~~~~~~

“What do you mean your boss is a weirdo?” Sho asks, unconvinced. “Are you just trying to find a way to fail again?”

Nino can’t deny that it’s crossed his mind too, but it still hurts to hear it said aloud.

“No!” he snaps. “I’m serious, Sho. He almost had his dick in my face yesterday. And he’s always touching me, looking for me.”

“Shouldn’t you be filing for harassment instead of complaining to me then?” Sho answers dryly. “I mean, seriously, it can’t be that bad if you’re telling me instead of someone higher up.” He laughs slightly. “I’m a writer, Nino, I’ll just use this information for my next story or article.”

“Thanks a lot,” Nino sighs. “I don’t want him to fail me, that’s all. Plus—”

“Plus what?” Sho says quickly.

“He’s really nice. And kind of hot,” Nino covers his face with a hand. Why was he telling his best friend this? “I think he’s just lonely, though. Or maybe he’s not good with people? Even though he’s a lawyer…”

Sho roars with laughter on the other end of the line, ignoring Nino’s pleas for him to stop. He keeps laughing for another five minutes, and Nino finally hangs up.

 _Asshole_.

He gets a text later that night: ‘Can I see a photo? Maybe I’ll need to consult him in the near future.’

Nino snaps his phone shut, but can’t help the smile creeping onto his lips.

~~~~~~~~

The next morning, Nino looks like hell.

Sho wasn’t kidding about being interested in the guy. Nino was forced—more like _blackmailed_ —into telling Sho all the little details about his boss. Sho finally stopped messaging when he’d wrung out every last ounce of information about Castiel he could.

Nino doesn’t understand where this sudden interest in men came from. Not that he could talk really. When close friends asked him about his orientation, he’d say it didn’t depend on gender, but personality.  Sex was fine and dandy, but at the end of the day, really, Nino just wanted someone he could come home to and share with, do fun things with.

He peeks around the corner before proceeding, making sure Castiel isn’t around to make him late. Again.

Nino shuffles to the conference room, slips inside quickly, and jumps slightly when he hears a voice behind him.

“Sorry,” Ohno clears his throat. “Didn’t mean to scare you.”

“It’s fine,” Nino turns around to find Ohno looking just as disheveled as he is. “Rough night?”

“I think the nap in the relaxation room messed up my sleeping pattern,” Ohno answers, embarrassed.

He does kind of sound like an old fart, but Nino thinks it’s funny. “I hate when that happens,” he offers teasingly.

Ohno shrugs, pulling a chair out for Nino. “You look pretty drained yourself.”

 _You have no idea_ , he thinks. But it’s not about him, it’s about getting Ohno better.

Nino sits down, crossing his legs. “So,” he pats Ohno’s hand on the table gently. Nino heard a simple touch could help some people to open up. “Our deal…Is it still on?”

Ohno nods, shifting uncomfortably, but not pulling his hand away. He looks down, guilty.

“I did something wrong,”

Nino frowns, but quickly composes himself when Ohno looks up. “Wrong? How?”

“One of my clients,” he swallows, suddenly needing the contact to get the rest out, “bribed me to make sure they won.”

Nino blinks, anxious. “What happened?”

Ohno doesn’t make eye contact, his voice getting lower and lower. “I falsified evidence.”

It takes a moment for Nino to understand the sentence—his English still not as good as he’d like. But he speaks up when he sees Ohno begin to shake, feels his hand tightening.

“Satoshi,” Nino says slowly. The older man doesn’t look up. “Satoshi, look at me.” He sees Ohno force his eyes up, his brow creased. “You know it was wrong,” he says quietly. “It doesn’t mean you’re a bad person for the rest of your life.”

The older man’s grip loosens, a bit of the tension uncoiling. “How can you know?”

“Come on. You wouldn’t be feeling this horrible otherwise,” Nino pats Ohno’s shoulder, lingering a bit too long. “Right?”

“I guess so,” Ohno closes his eyes for a moment. Nino can never tell what he’s thinking.

“But,” Ohno’s gaze finds Nino’s, “you can’t do it again. Not only is it against the law, but the anxiety will return if you do.”

Ohno nods, leaning forward on the table, his eyes falling shut again. Nino still can’t read his expression. “Okay,” he answers in a guilty fashion.

Nino pulls his hands away. “So what else is on your mind?”

Since Ohno seems to be coping, a change of topic could do them some good. He’ll have to talk to Sho about his breakthrough tonight.

~~~~~~~~

“Kazu,” it’s always a bad sign when Sho calls him that. “I hate to say this, but I think there are two guys falling for you at your office.”

“What?!” Nino nearly drops his phone. “You’re kidding me, right?”

“I wish I was,” Sho says solemnly. “But you honestly have this— _thing_ about you, dude.”

“What are you talking about?” Nino half-snorts.

“Okay,” Sho sighs on the other end, mumbling something about it _being a very bad idea_ , but continues. “I didn’t even like guys before I met you. I think Satoshi is going through the same thing right now. Castiel just sounds gay, though.”

Nino chokes on his saliva. “I—you— _what_?” he takes a deep breath. “How am I the cause for your bisexuality? You’re the one who wants my supervisor’s number. How do you know I wasn’t just the catalyst for your realization?”

“I’m serious, Kazu,” Sho pauses. “I had a major boner for you during our first year, thought I was 100% gay.”

“Way, way, _way_ too much information, Sho.” Nino’s cheeks burn, trying to ignore the pull of pride in his chest.

“It’s your fault for not believing me,” Sho says flatly. “So, your patient is falling for you. What are you going to do?”

“I think you’re wrong about him, but my boss…” he sighs. “You still want to meet him? Did you make up an excuse yet?”

“Working on it. And I’m not wrong, trust me.” The confidence of that statement scares Nino a little.

What could he do? Nino doesn’t even know if he really likes Ohno in that way or not. Besides, there’s his internship on the line. And what if Sho is wrong? Then Nino would be harassing Ohno the same way Castiel is (unknowingly) bothering him. It’s all giving him a headache.

~~~~~~~~

Nino is in the conference room first, having escaped his boss successfully again.

Ohno walks in with a bright smile on his face. He looks more relaxed and comfortable than he’s looked in weeks. Even his hair and skin look healthier. It’s a good look for him, Nino thinks.

“Hey,” Nino pulls a chair out for Ohno; his Japanese habits die hard. “How are things?”

“Good,” he beams at the younger man. “I feel much better. I guess I needed to tell someone.”

Nino nods, mirroring the smile. Then, there’s a wave of flushed skin climbing Ohno’s face, and Nino is trying his best not to look, because it’s only making the older man redder. What if Sho is right? He clears his throat, handing Ohno a piece of paper and pencil.

“Thought we could try something more fun,” Nino explains. “Are you good at drawing?”

“Yeah,” Ohno’s smile brightens. “I love art.”

“Good,” Nino takes out a sheet for himself too. “You can choose between drawing me, or drawing something you’ve been thinking about lately.”

“Okay,” Ohno says quickly, standing from his seat. “Do you mind if I sit further away? I can’t concentrate if I feel like I’m being watched.”

“No problem,” Nino takes out a pen, settling down. “I’ll be doing the same over here.”

~~~~~~~~

After twenty minutes, Nino speaks up. “Time’s up,” he turns his amateur drawing over.

Ohno returns to his previous spot, holding the drawing delicately. “I hope you like it,” he sits down, pushing it over to Nino.

Nino is speechless. It’s not only realistic, but it’s _detailed_. He feels like he’s looking at a photograph of himself. “This is amazing, Satoshi. You could do this professionally.”

Ohno blushes, looking down. “You said either you, or something I’ve been thinking about lately. But I chose both.”

It’s Nino’s turn to sport flushed skin. “You’ve been thinking about our sessions?”

“I’ve been thinking about you,” Ohno utters. He looks up, and sees Nino looking at him incredulously.

Ohno leans in cautiously, his lips pressing softly against Nino’s. Nino is so taken aback he can’t get his body to function and push the older man away. Ohno presses harder then, holding the back of Nino’s head with his long fingers. Nino feels like he’s melting into his chair, the lips against his own so warm and meticulous, eager to please.

The angle changes, and suddenly the kiss deepens, drawing a moan from Nino’s parted lips. It’s enough to bring him back to reality, and he pushes Ohno harder than he intended to.

“We can’t,” Nino stands, smoothing down his hair. He can’t leave the room looking like he’s just had an _interesting_ make-out session, even if he has. “ _I_ can’t,” he corrects, stepping through the door, rushing down the hall.

Nino’s walking so fast, still taking in all that happened; he passes by Castiel without hearing his name.

~~~~~~~~

“He kissed me,” Nino says frantically. “What do I do, Sho?”

“Did you like it?” Sho asks matter-of-factly.

Nino rolls his eyes. He never really stopped to see how he felt about the older man. He did like his company…“Yes,” he sighs. “I did.”

“So what’s the problem?” Sho snorts. “Or is he not as hot as your boss?”

“He’s plenty attractive,” Nino answers quickly. “But my master’s—”

“Is almost complete,” Sho chuckles, “You’ve got two weeks left, Kazu. Calm down.”

That’s right. He’s almost done. Almost rid of stuffy lawyers, bendy and perverted supervisors, and a weird relaxation room that provides him with everything _but_ repose.

Nino takes a deep breath, “Thanks.”

“For what?” Sho asks.

“For putting up with me,” Nino answers.

“Someone has to,” Sho says jokingly. “You know I love you, man.”

~~~~~~~~

Nino is praying Sho will find an excuse to swing by the office soon because he can’t take much more sneaking around the halls to avoid his supervisor. Speaking of which, he hadn’t seen him since last week’s update on Ohno’s file.

Speak of the devil.

“Nino!” Castiel sounds more cheerful than usual.

“Hey boss-man,” Nino had decided on that nickname a while ago when it made Castiel laugh for the first time in front of him. He really liked the sound of his gravelly voice hitting a higher pitch; it distracted him from the awkward touching.

“I see everything is well,” his hand doesn’t take long before it connects to Nino’s shoulder casually. “Ohno seems much better. I’m proud of you.”

Nino smiles, bowing his head, “Just doing my job.”

“Actually,” Castiel shifts closer, the warmth of his shoulder almost seeping in through Nino’s clothing. What was he, a heater? “I wanted to offer you a permanent position here.”

Nino blinks, trying to remember how to swallow. Why was he already preparing to say yes? Just yesterday, he’d been contemplating his other options. Just yesterday, he’d been feeling triumphant over the realization that he’d be rid of this strange company. But just like that, he’s already reconsidering.

He answers, before his head can interfere with what his gut is telling him, “I’d love to work for you.”

“Great!” Castiel pats Nino gently. “I look forward to many years together.”

Please let him not mean it in a weird, non-professional way.

~~~~~~~~

Ohno is seated with his hands in his lap, looking at his watch. Nino gulps, closing the door quietly behind him. This is it, the moment of truth.

“Hey Satoshi,” Nino says brightly. “Hope I didn’t make you wait too long.”

“Not at all,” Ohno has stopped making eye contact again. Nino wishes he would, to keep his mind off what’s causing the strange feeling in the room.

“Are you doing okay?” Nino takes a seat next to Ohno.

Ohno crosses his legs, and turns away from Nino. “I’m back to working with clients. The breathing problems have lessened too.”

He sounds detached, but not mean. Nino doesn’t understand what’s going through Ohno’s head at all.

“That’s good,” Nino manages. “I’m glad you’re feeling better. Castiel said clients are requesting you now.”

Ohno shifts, moving even further away. “Yep.”

“Is something wrong?” Nino tries to put a hand on Ohno’s shoulder, but is shrugged away. “What is it?”

“Nothing,” Ohno says, lying through his teeth.

Nino doesn’t ask anymore after that.

~~~~~~~~

Before Ohno runs out of the room—like he seems intent on doing—Nino grabs his hand and pushes a folded up piece of paper into his palm. Ohno unfolds it, reads it, but doesn’t get it.

“What’s this?”

“It’s my number,” Nino says quietly. “Thought you might want it.”

“But you told me—you said—”

Nino leans in, praying there aren’t any cameras in the room. He tilts his head and kisses Ohno, fisting his hands into the front of his dress shirt. Nino pulls away before it snowballs out of his control. “I graduate soon.”

He waves, leaving the room first to allow Ohno time to fix himself.

~~~~~~~~

“So?” Sho asks anxiously. “Did you tell him? And is your boss still single?”

“You’re just calling about Castiel, aren’t you?” Nino says playfully. “And yes, I told him. Kind of.”

“What do you take me for, Kazu?” There’s silence between them. “He is nice though, right?”

“I swear to you,” Nino laughs. “Can I go to sleep, now? Or did you find a way to drop by and keep him away from me for a while?”

“I think so,” Sho grins against the receiver. Nino doesn’t want to ask what that’s about.

~~~~~~~~

The day of his graduation, Nino is a little more than confused. Sho being there to cheer him on, he expects. Ohno waiting for him far in the back he can understand too; they have a date later. But what is Castiel doing in the crowd next to Sho— _oh_.

Sho is talking to Castiel about something they both agree on, and Nino is fairly certain it’s _him_. Whatever gets the job done. Then, Castiel is laughing, and Sho is apparently the funniest person he’s ever met because Castiel’s head tips back with it. Nino nods at Sho when Sho looks over and gives him a thumbs up. Sho smiles when Castiel’s hand is on his shoulder. They seem to be hitting it off.

Nino looks away when his name is called. He takes the fancy scroll and diploma from the headmaster. He forces his gaze permanently back to Ohno when Sho is leaning into Castiel’s touch, since they probably don’t want Nino watching and analyzing their every move.  He can’t help it now that he’s an official psychologist.

~~~~~~~~

When Nino has his diploma in hand and has heard the names of a thousand different people he doesn’t know, he rushes to Ohno and drags him outside to his car.

“I needed some air,” he says. “Plus, we have plans. I want to put all this stuff in my car.”

Ohno laughs, helping Nino pull off his long black gown, and folding it carefully. “You don’t want to wear this on our date?”

Nino smirks, “Where we’re going, I would stand out even more in this than if I was naked.”

Ohno swallows, looking worried.

Nino rolls his eyes. “I’m kidding.”

When Nino’s done packing his stuff, he locks up and takes Ohno’s hand again, leading him down the street. He can feel the older man’s pulse racing. Maybe it’s the first time he’s been on a date? That couldn’t be true. Maybe it’s the first time he’s been on a date with a man? That was entirely possible.

Nino stops dragging him down the street and places both hands on his shoulders. “Are you still okay with this date? I mean if you’d rather go somewhere else instead—”

Ohno leans in, pressing against every inch of Nino’s body. “I want you to choose. I’ll choose next time.”

Change of plans.

Nino drags him across the street to a sketchy club-bar he promised himself he’d never go back to. But, sometimes, promises had to be broken.

Nino pushes the dark curtains out of the way, slapping a twenty-dollar bill in front of the cashier, continuing to bring Ohno along with him. Nino can feel Ohno’s pulse thrumming against his wrist. Or maybe it’s his own pulse, Nino can’t tell.

Ohno slips out of Nino’s hold when they get to a dimly-lit room. The windows are tinted, there’s dance music playing a bit too loudly, but the leather couch looks comfortable enough.

Ohno peers at Nino. The younger man knows they should be having supper on their first date, but he doesn’t think he can make it that long. Nino’s face is flushed, his eyes dark from the lack of light but also from want. It’s finally— _finally_ —okay for him to treat himself to a bit of physical contact.

“I’m—I’m sorry,” Nino starts, ”If this is too much—”

Ohno lunges forward, his lips crashing into Nino’s with a hunger Nino hadn’t expected. It seems Nino hasn’t been the only one trying to keep his urges in check. Pushing Nino down on the couch, he climbs on top of him and grinds so hard Nino thinks he might rip his jeans from the strain of his cock.

“Are you sure—”

Ohno slides his tongue inside Nino’s mouth to keep him quiet, mouthing at warm flesh, his hands fiddling with a belt with too many loops and holes. Nino moans when Ohno frees him of his pants and slides a hand in with no pretense of being gentle. Those elegant fingers rub at the hardening bulge through his underwear so skillfully, so deliciously, he’s afraid of coming without even getting his cock out.

Ohno pulls away for a moment to push his own pants down to his ankles, gripping the back of the couch to grind down harder into Nino’s erection. When Nino moans, competing with the repetitive techno music, Ohno seals his mouth over the sound and tries to swallow it, feels it reverberating through him.

Nino struggles to get his shirt off, the other hand cupping Ohno’s ass and dragging him closer to make the slow rhythm of their bodies into a deep burn. Ohno’s head tips back, and Nino takes that opportunity to nibble at his neck and collarbone. A string of curse words fall from Ohno’s lips, each one going straight to Nino’s cock.

Ohno shoves Nino back, freeing his neck from the hungry lips and teeth, pulling Nino’s shirt off for him.

“Don’t move,” Ohno says, like a warning. It’s a side of Ohno Nino didn’t know existed, but Nino damn well likes it.

Nino nods, his fingers still squeezing at Ohno’s backside.  Ohno swats the hand away and drops to his knees, sliding Nino’s underwear down so quickly the air hits his cock like a whip. Ohno watches Nino suck in a breath of air, before he decides to taste every inch of the hard length in his reach.

Nino can’t remember how to breathe suddenly. He can’t uncoil his fingers from the side of the couch; can’t do anything but watch those dark eyes as Ohno swallows as much of his cock as he can fit between those plush lips. His chest is aching from holding his breath, but seeing those cheeks hollow out and suck with such ferocity, Nino decides he doesn’t mind dying like this.

His fingers reach for Ohno’s hair, petting it softly to distract himself from the storm brewing in his groin, threatening to suck away all his energy before he can return the favour. Ohno moans, his tongue vibrating against the head of his cock, and it’s all over for Nino before it even started.

Nino spends a few moments assessing whether he’s _actually_ died from that or not. Ohno definitely wasn’t a virgin when it came to blowjobs. His mouth was like liquid magma, seeping through the skin of his cock, driving into his bloodstream. He can’t imagine it being any better than that.

Nino opens his eyes after great difficulty, and finds Ohno sitting next to him, cock in hand, stroking at a fierce, greedy pace. Nino’s cock twitches; he’s certainly not dead from that epic blowjob. Ohno looks over at him, his mouth in an ‘O’, breathing fast and heavy.

Nino doesn’t know if his limbs will cooperate, but he wills them to listen, taking the head of Ohno’s cock between his lips. Nino can’t manage much more than that, so Ohno takes over, thrusting into the warmth over and over until his fingers scrape the back of Nino’s head and he growls, coming down the younger man’s throat. It’s hot and delicious, just like the rest of Ohno.

Ohno drags him up for a bruising kiss, tasting the salt of himself and Nino mixing together. Nino whimpers when a hint of teeth catch his bottom lip and make his hips jerk. No way Nino could handle another round, even if his cock says otherwise.

“Hungry?” Ohno mumbles, taking Nino’s bottom lip between his teeth.

“For more of this or actual food?” Nino snickers when Ohno’s eyes widen. “I’m kidding, I’m dead. Let’s find some food.”

Sometimes having the dessert first was just what made the meal perfect.


End file.
